Roller-bearing caster



.June 12, 1923. 1,458,778 F. l.. ROWNTREE ROLLER' BEARING CASTER Filed July 14. 1921 M01/fr@ Aif.)

Patentedl June 12, "1923.

' & "COMPANY, er.A MEaivEMO'NNCIICaT.assesses@ Qa'SIGNNEQTIQETT-il i 'i 'l ROLLER-milanista' c'sfrER'f I y. y

. Application med Jinyri.,y

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK L. RowN'rREE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Meriden, county of New Haven, State of Connecticut, have invented an Improvement in Roller-Bearing Casters, of which the following is a specification. l

This invention relates l to roller bearing casters and has for an object to provide improved means vfor retaining the rollers in the raceway, which means will be a simple element formed separate from the other elements of the caster and which will effectively retain the rollers in proper operative position to prevent binding and ins-ure reliable operation.

With this and other objects in view I have devised the improved caster illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is an elevation of a plate type of caster, portions thereof being broken away to more clearly disclose the construction;

Fig. 2, a similar view of a stem type of caster;

Fig. 3, an exploded View showing the various elements in perspective; l

Fig. 4, a perspective view of an angled type of plate; and

Fig. 5, is a perspective view of plate employed in the type shown in. Fig. 1.

On the lower end of the leg of a piece of furniture is mounted plate 11, this plate being secured to the leg by means of suitable screws 12. The plate is formed with an annular rib 13 and a central recess on the top thereofy in which is seated the head 14: of an axle or spindle 15, this axle or spindle forming a swivel 'for the horn 16 provided with spaced ears 17 in which is mounted the wheel 18v by means of a rivet 19. The rivet 19 forms an axle for the wheel 18 and is offset to one side of the axis ofaxle as is usual in such constructions. i

Embracing the axle 15, and formed to fit the lower surface of the plate 11 within the rib 13, is an inverted cup member 2O having downwardly extendingside walls 21. Embracing the axle 15 is a sleeve or bushing 22 extending within the opening 23 in the upper wall of the horn 16 lto form a bearing for this horn on the axle.. It will be noted from an inspection of Fig. 1 that the upper wall of the horn has a recess on its under side in -which the washer 24 rests, it being retained therein by the head 25`on the lower end ofthe The formation'o-f the re? cess for the washer 24 raises the metal above the upper surface of the horn vforming ay shoulder 26 adjacent to the raceway 27 on the upper 'surface'of theghorn. This shoulder providesl convenient means for loosely retaining ga tubular ring 28 in inwardly spaced relation to-walls 21 of the cup mem! ber, this'ring and thewalls forming op posed guides for the rollers 29 mounted to run in the raceways. This ring is loose or oatingand so isl free to turn when pressure l is applied on side of rollers, so that under theseconditions instead of binding thering turns with the krollers making avery freely operating caster. from a piece of tubing and may be'slit at one side at 30. It will be apparent that the caster is very simple in construction. In forming the roller mounting only two operations-are necessary, one for the inverted cup The ring 28 is formed l' y and another .forthe ring, and, therefore, the

cost of manufacture of the reduced.

, The construction of the caster in Fig. 2 is caster is greatly the same. as that shownin Fig. 1 except that a stem 31 formed with the axle 15 takes the place of plate 11 for securing the caster to an article to be supported thereby.

Fig. 4 represents in perspective a vmodified form of the plate to take the place of the plate 11. `This platehas upwardlyextending wings 32 provided with openings 33 for the passage of screws to fasten same to the; article.

Having thus setvforth the nature yof my invention, what I claim is:

1. A Vcaster comprising an inverted cup I having a roller .raceway, rollers mounted in said raceway, a ring looselyV mounted inwardly ofthe side walls of the cup andformingtherewith opposed guides for the rollers, an axle withink the cup, and a wheel carrying horn Vmounted to turn on the vaxle and having a raceway for the'rollers, said ring being adapted to yield laterally independently of both the horn and cup under lateral pressure fromthe rollers.

2. A caster comprising a supporting element, an axle carried t-hereby, an inverted cup mounted'on lsaid axle and forming a roller raceway, a horn mounted to turn on said axle,"a wheel mounted in said horn, v

rollers mounted to roll on the horn vand cup, and a loo-sely mounted split ring between the 10 side Walls of the cup and forming therewith opposed guides for the rollers, and a Wheel 15 carrying horn mounted to turn on the axle and having a raceway for said rollers, said ring being adapted to yield laterally independently of boththe horn and Cup under lateral pressure from the rollers.

i In testimony whereof I affix my signa ture.

FRANK L. ROWNTREE. 

